Design, Architecture, Gardens, Southern California Living

Way Basics recycled -- and recyclable -- paper furniture

December 18, 2009 | 8:02
am

Need a quickie coffee table, jigsaw puzzle spot or kids’ table for a holiday meal? How about one that isn't particleboard and doesn't require a tool box to assemble? The Way Basics tables and cube-like chair sets are ideal for instant gathering, craft projects, board games or kids’ play.

Way Basics, an Irvine-based company, has a patented, eco-friendly manufacturing process that turns post-consumer recycled paper into “zBoards,” which are the building blocks for its simple, recyclable furniture. The material is durable -- even waterproof -- but weighs 62% less than particle board. Anyone who has assembled an el-cheapo particleboard bookcase and then tried to move it knows how heavy that stuff is.

And if, like me, you’ve managed to turn every IKEA build-it-yourself item into a weekend-long project, you might appreciate the nifty 3M “super-strong adhesive strip” method of building a table or storage cube out of the zBoard segments. Watch a how-to video at the company’s website to size up the ease of assembly and product strength.

Way Basics’ table-plus-four-cubes is regularly priced at $135 for the set but is now on sale for $128.25 (you can mix and match among six color finishes). The 21-inch tall, 26-inch-square table is $35; the foot-high cube is $20. Enter WBFS09 to take advantage of the free shipping promotion for orders in the continental U.S.

If you need furniture in time for the holidays, contact Way Basics’ Irvine Design Studio to inquire about pick-up hours or shipping deadlines.